


i'd be your anything

by darkangel0410



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, Biting, Knotting, M/M, Mating, Mating Bites, Mpreg, Scent Marking, Scenting, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-12-01 00:02:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11474415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkangel0410/pseuds/darkangel0410
Summary: He tells Chiarelli over the weekend that he's pregnant -no, it wasn't planned;no, I don't have an alpha;no, I'm not getting rid of it;no, no, no, no- and he gets traded on Wednesday.Taylor wishes he could believe that it was a coincidence.





	i'd be your anything

**Author's Note:**

> So, I started writing this last summer, right after the trade happened, and I finally just finished it. There's a brief mention of Connor McDavid/Jack Eichel, it's during a conversation between Taylor and Adam and then it's never mentioned again, so.

It’s not until he’s putting another blanket on his bed that Taylor realizes something might be wrong; it’s almost July and he’s piling blankets on his bed, even in Edmonton it doesn’t get that cold in the summer.

He takes a minute to actually _look_ around his room and Taylor's a little shocked at the number of blankets and pillows he has on his bed. A wave of nausea reminds him that his bed isn’t the only thing that’s been off lately.

He has a doctor’s appointment later on and Taylor just really hopes that he doesn’t have mono or something that’s going to affect him all season.

* 

“I don’t -what?” Taylor asks blankly; his stomach turns and he has to swallow against the panic he can feel starting to build.

“You’re pregnant,” the doctor repeats kindly. “I know it’s probably a bit of a shock, but you are more than old enough -”

“But I haven’t had my mating heat yet,” Taylor interrupts her, his hands are curled tightly into fists at his side and he doesn’t know what he’s going to do. He’s only twenty-four, he can't take care of a -he just can’t. “I can't be, I’m not even mated yet, this can’t be right.”

“It’s unusual, yes, but omegas can get pregnant before their first mating heat,” the doctor explains easily, obviously trying to calm down the upset omega in front of her; she’s an older alpha, long mated if her scent is anything to go by, but a lifetime of biology and habits don’t ever really fade. Taylor can smell her trying exude calm confidence and he hasn’t wished to be a beta since he was a teenager, but he would give almost anything to not be in this situation. “I’m sure your alpha will -”

“I don’t,” Taylor pauses for a long second before he takes a deep breath and goes on, “I don’t have an alpha. This was just -it wasn't serious.”

There's an awkward silence while the doctor takes a minute to figure out what she’s going to say next; Taylor spends the time staring at a Christmas poster on the wall. He wonders if he’ll still be able to play come December.

“Well, putting that aside, there’s no reason that you shouldn't be able to carry your cub to term with no complications,” the doctor finally tells him.

Taylor tunes her out; he has no idea what he’s going to do, he doesn't even know what the hell he’s going to tell Drat. Or his parents. His agent. Or Jesus, Chiarelli.

Sometimes he really hates being an omega.

*

He tells Chiarelli over the weekend that he's pregnant - _no, it wasn't planned_ ; _no, I don't have an alpha_ ; _no, I'm not getting rid of it_ ; _no, no, no, no_ \- and he gets traded on Wednesday.

Taylor wishes he could believe that it was a coincidence.

*

“You know I don’t mind you staying here while you’re looking for a place of your own,” Adam tells him two weeks later; they’re in Adam’s living room, half-heartedly watching food network while Taylor goes through the local housing listings on Adam’s laptop. Adam smells like he always does, like cedar and salt water, and it’s discerning to Taylor that it’s still as calming now as it was when he was sixteen. “But Hallsy, I’m worried about you, man, you’re knocked up and I know you’re not mated, you don’t even smell like there’s been an alpha near you in weeks and I’ve never heard of a team trading away a pregnant omega before, what the hell is going on?”

“I helped someone through their rut,” Taylor answers him, choosing his words carefully; Adam’s never been the kind of alpha to get possessive and overprotective of his omega friends and teammates, but Taylor figures better safe than sorry. “Just as friends, it wasn’t serious for either of us. And when I found out about being all,” he waves a hand around and when Adam just raises his eyebrow in confusion he clarifies, “knocked up, he didn’t think he could deal with raising a cub and he didn’t want to try.”

“Was he on the team?” Adam asks and nods when Taylor makes a face but doesn’t say anything. “Alright, so I get why you’re not mated with this guy, and I'm not judging you for anything, but is that why you’re here? Did you ask for the trade?”

It would be easy to tell Adam ‘yes’, to pretend that he’s had any control over this situation since he was sitting in that doctor’s office. But Taylor’s never been a good liar and Adam’s known him for too long to let him pretend otherwise. “After I told my parents and my agent, I told management, then Chiarelli called me a few days later to tell me that I got traded to here.”

There’s a long moment of silence and Taylor can almost hear Adam vibrate with anger before he calms himself down; his scent gets sharp -black pepper over cedar and salt water- and it makes Taylor wrinkle his nose, but it’s gone almost immediately. He’s always admired Adam’s ability to control himself; it helped him when he was sixteen and away from home for the first time and it helps now when he’s in a strange territory and his instincts are all over the place because he’s pregnant.

“Alright,” Adam says after a minute, his voice gentle and it makes Taylor relax a little bit; he never thought Adam would be a dick about everything but it was nice to have been right about it. “Well, you can stay here for as long as you want. I know you probably want your own space, but you don’t have to rush yourself out the door.”

“Yeah, OK,” Taylor agrees, smiling a little; he ignores the part of him that wants to curl up on the couch next to Adam and let him take care of everything, let him make all the decisions. It’s been harder than usual lately to ignore his instincts, more of a struggle than it’s been in years. 

The last time Taylor could remember it being this hard to ignore his desire to submit to an alpha was when he was sixteen and everything about Adam made him want to roll over and bare his neck. It had gotten easier to ignore that desire the longer he’d been around Adam back then and Taylor really hopes it’s the same now.

*

Adam insists on going with him to see management the next day, even after Taylor tries to tell him he’d rather go by himself. He doesn’t actually want to is the thing, and judging by the flat stare Adam gives him, he knows it as well as Taylor does. 

He lets Adam drive without even a token resistance because he hates driving places he’s not familiar with and when he sees Adam smirking as they’re pulling out onto the road, Taylor tells him, “Shut up. You can buy me lunch later if you’re going to be a dick about it.”

“Sure,” Adam agrees easily, still smiling a little bit. “I know a good steak place if you feel up to it after we’re done.”

“‘We’re’? I’m the only one who has to go confess to being knocked up, Rico,” Taylor says, sharper than the joking tone he was aiming for if the way Adam’s face goes serious is anything to judge by.

Before he can say anything, Adam starts talking. “Do you think no one told Shero? Pretty sure that’s illegal, Hallsy.”

“I just don’t know why he would have traded for me if Chiarelli told him,” Taylor says, looking out the window. It’s quiet for a few seconds, nothing about Adam’s scent giving him a hint about what he’s thinking. “I’m suppose to help the team right away, not be out on my ass until who knows when,” he adds, glancing over at Adam who’s looking out at the road. “And if he doesn’t know, I want to tell him before I get comfortable here and they trade me all over again.”

Taylor knows he sounds whiny, insecure, but it’s too much effort to pretend he doesn’t feel that way; he’s always liked knowing that he was going to be in the same place for a long time, liked knowing his territory and everything about it. Liked knowing that he was always going to be coming back to the same comfortable space at the end of every roadie. The last couple weeks only exasperated that tendency and Taylor wants to do whatever he can to get that equilibrium back.

“Taylor, I don’t know what Chiarelli did or didn’t say to Shero, but even if you are out for a few months, or hell, the rest of the fucking season, it would still be worth it,” Adam tells him, his voice calm and soft; he reaches over and squeezes Taylor’s knee, a comforting touch that makes Taylor lose some of the tension in his body. “You’re one of the best wingers I’ve ever seen play and definitely the best I’ve ever had on my line. And I’ve seen you come back from injury and play better than ever, and this is no different. And whatever else happens, I’m here, alright? I’ll help you however I can.”

Taylor has to clear his throat before he can say anything and the, “Thanks,” he manages still sounds a little watery. The hormones have been making him really emotional the last week or so, but Adam proves his friendship by not commenting on it, just squeezing Taylor’s knee again and then putting the radio on for the rest of the drive.

*

“Taylor, thanks for coming in,” Ray tells him when he appears in the doorway; he gets up and meets Taylor halfway, shakes his hand and motions him towards the chair before he closes the door and settles back behind his desk. 

“It’s no problem, Ray,” Taylor says once Ray’s sitting down; he’s feeling a little more steady now, less like he’s going to jump out of his skin. He has a brief, intense longing for some coffee before he focuses back on the conversation.

“I just wanted to check in with you, make sure you were settling in. We didn’t talk too much on the phone last time and I wanted to make sure you knew that if you needed help with anything, that someone would be happy to lend you a hand,” Ray explains; he’s smiling and there’s nothing about his scent that tells Taylor he’s anything other than what he looks and it makes it easier for Taylor to talk to him.

“Everything’s fine, I’m staying with Henny -ah, Adam for right now,” Taylor clarifies, then realizes that Ray probably knows Adam’s nicknames; he clears his throat, tells himself to stop being an idiot, and goes on, “he’s helping me find an apartment and uh. You know, figure out a good doctor who’s close by.”

“Do you two need recommendations from the trainers? Although, I’m not sure obstetrics is within their usual bubble,” Ray laughs easily, clearly not bothered by the subject.

His easy acceptance makes Taylor want to sag in relief and it takes considerable effort to not just visibly relax back into the chair he’s sitting in.

“It’s probably not,” Taylor agrees and relaxes his hands so he’s not gripping his own legs so tightly. “But I, uh, wanted to ask the trainers if they would talk to the doctor, when I get one? I want to be around the team even if I can’t play and I thought if I worked out here I could get to know them.”

“That's a good idea,” Ray tells him, clearly pleased by it. “It would help you bond with the team even if you’re not cleared to play at the beginning of the season. We’ll have to check with the trainers and get the proper medical clearance forms, but I really like that idea, Taylor.”

He pauses for a second, fixing Taylor with a serious look that makes Taylor want to hunch over and try to hide. “We want you to be a part of this team for a long time, Taylor, and we believe you can help us make it to the playoffs again and eventually win another Cup for this team. I’m glad to see that you’re already starting to think of this team as yours and wanting to be a part of it.”

Taylor flushes a little, the omega in him happy and preening at the obvious praise in Shero’s voice and words. 

Their meeting only lasts a little longer but Taylor feels better when he goes looking for Adam than he has in weeks almost.

*

They go for a run after they eat, at a park that’s about an hour away from Adam’s place. It feels good to run through the woods, Adam a solid presence at his side.

They stop to take a drink at a stream and Adam darts off, leaving Taylor by himself; he sits down on his haunches, scenting the air and whining a little when he realizes Adam’s not close by.

A few minutes pass and Taylor’s about to go after him when Adam trots back into the clearing, a fresh rabbit in his mouth; Taylor’s stomach growls even though they just had lunch.

Adam drops the rabbit at Taylor’s feet, nudging it a couple inches closer before he sits back. Taylor barks once in thanks and then wastes little time tearing into it under Adam’s watchful gaze. He makes short work of it, crunching the bones happily once the rest of it is gone.

Adam nuzzles him when he’s done, starts licking at the flecks of blood on Taylor's muzzle and ruff, cleaning the red out of Taylor’s cream colored fur; Taylor rumbles happily, nuzzles Adam when he’s finished and licks his nose in thanks before he curls up for a quick a nap. He looks up and barks at Adam until he settles next to him; he keeps his eyes open while Taylor naps, alert in case any strangers happen to wander through.

*

Taylor’s first doctor’s appointment is a couple weeks later; he brings Adam with him because the thought of going by himself fills him with dread and he really doesn’t want to ask him mom to fly in. Adam must pick up on that because he doesn’t make Taylor ask, just parks the car when they get there and goes inside with him, his shoulder brushing Taylor’s as they walk. It relaxes Taylor enough that he can fill out the paperwork without screwing it up.

After a long minute of internal debate, he leaves the paternal section of the paperwork completely blank; Drat had been clear that he didn’t want to be involved at all and Taylor thinks it would be better to not have even his name linked to the cub in any way.

The doctor is nice enough, an older beta female that doesn’t even blink when Taylor tells her he’s not mated to anyone and that the other father doesn’t want to be involved; her eyes flick to Adam when Taylor asks him to stay for the exam, but otherwise she ignores him and directs all her questions to Taylor. The exam is quicker than Taylor thought it would be, she just weighs him and then has him lay down on the table so she can press on his stomach carefully; his stomach seems the same to him, but the doctor jots down a couple notes in his file and tells him that everything is progressing nicely. 

She clears him for light exercise and skating, “I do mean light exercise, Taylor, and no contact on the ice under any circumstance. I’ll fax over lists of acceptable exercises to the trainers with the medical clearance forms, as well as send one home with you so you’ll know what you can and can’t do. 

“We’ll schedule an ultrasound for you sometime early next week and your next appointment for the end of July.”

It’s nowhere close to as bad as Taylor thought it would be and Adam’s quiet, steady presence is a big part of the reason why. It feels natural to double check with him when Taylor schedules everything; Adam smells happy when Taylor asks him, warm sunshine mixing with cedar and salt water, and he’s still smiling when they get into the car.

Adam opens the door for him and just shrugs when Taylor looks at him; he doesn’t say anything until they’re both in the car and he’s backing out of the parking spot. “You want to get something to eat while we’re out?”

“Sure, I could eat,” Taylor agrees easily, happy to spend more time with Adam, “Steak?” he adds hopefully, suddenly craving a medium rare ribeye and french fries.

“Whatever you want,” Adam tells him, his voice light enough that it shouldn’t feel as serious as it does, like he’s talking about more than lunch; Taylor’s not sure what to say to that, so he just turns on the radio.

After a minute or two, Adam gives him a friendly jab in the ribs and he’s smiling when Taylor punches him in the shoulder in retaliation, so he knows they’re ok no matter what that was.

*

They settle into an easy routine: waking up early, going to practice, skating for a half hour or so, then doing light cardio on the bike and hand weights. It takes Adam a little longer to finish up and shower, so Taylor does whatever PR the Devils need; he’s not planning to hide his pregnancy or his cub once they’re born, and the Devils are letting him take the approach he wants to with everything, so he can do all the interviews and stuff they need him to do.

Adam comes and finds him once he’s done, all smiles and calm scent; it’s easy for Taylor to center himself on Adam’s scent, to keep himself calm when Adam always smells like everything is good. On the rare occasions he does get mad or upset, it never takes him long to get himself evened out again; he’s been that way for as long as Taylor’s known him, quiet and controlled, and it’s always made Taylor feel safe and protected without being suffocated. 

There’s a lot about Adam that makes Taylor want. 

*

They find out the cub’s a girl in July, at Taylor’s second ultrasound; Adam’s with him, sitting on a stool next to the bed Taylor’s laying on while the ultrasound technician runs the wand over his stomach.

“Everything looks good, guys,” he tells them; he’s careful not to touch Taylor’s skin too much, a courtesy from one alpha to another with Adam right there. Some other time Taylor might have said something about it, but he’s tired and hungry, and if he’s being honest with himself, he doesn’t want some strange alpha’s scent on him.

“I can tell you your cub’s gender, if you want,” the tech adds, looking away from the monitor to glance at Adam and then Taylor.

Taylor looks at Adam, half afraid to find out, unsure about what to do, but Adam just smiles at him and holds onto Taylor’s wrist; it makes Taylor relax in a rush, suddenly eager to find out everything he can about the cub before they get here. “Yeah, tell us, please, I want to know.”

“Congratulations, you're having a girl,” the tech tells them, smiling when Taylor sniffs a little bit; he hands Adam a box of tissues with a wink and it’s the kind of alpha patronizing that might be annoying in other circumstances, but right now Taylor can’t even pretend to care.

“The cub’s a girl,” Taylor says softly, placing a hand on the barely visible swell of his stomach after the tech wipes off the gel; he’s crying, a little bit, and Adam just rubs his hand in small circles on Taylor’s thigh and hands him tissues so he can wipe his eyes and cheeks.

“She’s going to be perfect,” Adam assures him, his scent easy to pick up even with the mix of smells from various patients and doctors still in the air; he smells so happy and calm, cedar and salt water covered in warm sunshine, and he’s proud, too, a sharp tang to his scent that makes Taylor want to preen, to bare his neck so his alpha can show him exactly how proud he is.

Adam’s not his alpha, not really, but Taylor’s starting to think that maybe he could be.

*

The longer Taylor stays at Adam’s, the more reluctant he is to move out; he’s starting to put extra blankets on his bed, even taking a few from the closet that have Adam’s scent on them still. He knows he should find his own place, but the idea fills him with dread: it feels like home here, like it’s his territory as much as it’s Adam’s and Taylor knows that Adam has a lot to do with the reason why.

He’s always been attracted to Adam and it’s only gotten worse as he’s gotten older; it’s different from when he was younger, too, because now he understands more, knows what he wants from hockey and the rest of his life: he wants to play great hockey and win the Cup and raise his cub so she knows that he loves her, and he wants to do all that with Adam. 

Taylor doesn’t know what Adam wants, but he thinks maybe Adam wants the same things as him; he sees Adam looking at him sometimes, like he’s not sure what to do or say, like he _wants_ too much. 

He’s not sure how to tell Adam that he understands, that he _wants_ , too; he thinks maybe Adam knows, the way he always seems to know.

*

It’s easy to start touching Adam like he wants to, to curl up with him on the couch and let Adam play with his hair or rub his back; to stay in Adam’s personal space when they’re out with other people; he wears Adam’s t-shirts around the house, wraps himself in Adam’s sweaters when he’s chilly and preens when Adam can’t stop watching him, his eyes shot through with yellow.

It’s only a little bit of what Taylor wants with Adam, this closeness that seems like it’s only half a step away from being mated, because he can’t deny that he wants Adam to fuck him, too, to bite and mark and _claim_ him, to pin him down and knot him.

He wants everything with Adam and he really hopes he doesn’t have to wait much longer to get it.

*

Taylor avoids all of Davo’s phone calls for almost two months; he texts him to let him know that he’s alive, but it’s well into August before he even thinks about calling him and having an actual conversation. 

“That McDavid again?” Adam asks one night when Taylor’s phone goes off; Taylor’s sleepy and content, mostly sprawled out over Adam’s lap while Adam gives him a scalp massage. His migraine is finally gone and he doesn’t want to move from where he’s at, not even the few feet to pick his phone up off the coffee table and check it.

“Probably, he’s always been stubborn,” Taylor answers absently, enjoying the way Adam’s fingers feel in his hair. “I’ll have to talk to him eventually, I just don’t want to deal with anyone right now.”

“Is he the one…” Adam trails off, leaving the question unasked, like he thought better of it halfway through. Taylor’s brain is fuzzy, stuck in between being awake and asleep, and it takes him a long minute to understand what Adam was getting at.

“What, Davo?” Taylor starts laughing, turning his head enough so that he could look up at Adam and grin at him. “No way, dude, Eichel would come down from Buffalo and kill me if the thought ever crossed my mind. And Davo’s like my brother, so trust me, it would never happen.” 

“Ok, ok, I get it, you don’t need to laugh at me,” Adam tells him and pulls his hair; he runs a soothing hand over his scalp when Taylor makes a protesting noise. 

Taylor settles back down and it’s easy to fall asleep with Adam’s fingers working their magic.

*

They start fucking in August, coming back from the movies one night and arguing over whether Suicide Squad was actually part of the DC movie verse; they get back to the apartment, still bickering, and Taylor takes off his shoes and turns to tell Adam exactly how wrong he is about everything and Adam is just staring at him, like he’s everything Adam’s ever wanted.

Adam kisses him then, slow and sweet, like they’re still teenagers and haven’t been dancing around each other for almost a decade at this point; it doesn’t stay that way for long and it seems like it’s only a handful of seconds later that Taylor’s naked and on his back, his legs wrapped around Adam’s waist, purring while Adam bites and marks up his neck and collarbones.

He stops sleeping alone after that.

*

“You smell so good,” Adam tells him, nuzzling the back of his neck; they’re laying on the couch, watching Gordon Ramsey yell and lazily debating if they should go out for dinner or order in. Adam’s behind him, pressed along his back, arm wrapped around his waist. His hand’s under Taylor’s shirt, resting lightly on the bump that’s visible now even though Taylor’s taken to wearing Adam’s shirts and sweats, which are both bigger than his own and smell better.

It makes Taylor feel flushed and happy, warm that Adam wants to touch him even when he’s nowhere close to being in good shape. Even when they’re not fooling around, Adam likes being skin to skin with him; Taylor doesn’t know if it’s because of Adam’s alpha instincts or if it’s just the way Adam would be anyway, but Taylor lets himself enjoy it without worrying about it too much.

He shivers when Adam starts kissing the side of his neck, scraping his teeth lightly against the sensitive skin. “Yeah?” Taylor asks, more focused on what Adam’s mouth is doing then what he was saying.

“You _always_ smell good, like oranges and lavender,” Adam answers, his voice low; he bites the side of Taylor’s neck, where his pulse is starting to jump. It’s not as hard as it would be if it was a claiming bite, but it still makes Taylor whimper and go limp, relaxing into the hold Adam has on him. Taylor can feel himself getting wet, slick making the back of his sleep pants damp. If it was anyone else, Taylor would fight the way his body is instinctively responding to an alpha dominating him, but this is Adam and Taylor knows he can trust Adam while he’s this vulnerable.

“But now you smell like sugar and cinnamon and it’s driving me crazy,” Adam goes on, there’s a growl under the words and it makes Taylor shudder; if they were anywhere else besides the couch, Taylor would already be on his hands and knees, begging Adam to fuck him. “I want to bite you, mark you up so everyone knows that you’re mine.”

“You can,” Taylor tells him eagerly, already starting to feel desperate; everything feels so much _more_ lately, like he needs Adam all the time, he wants to be pinned down to their bed and knotted, wants Adam to always be with him. It feels like his heats do almost, the same neediness that colors his actions and makes him want too much. “I want you to.”

“I know you do, baby,” Adam growls, sucking a mark onto Taylor’s shoulder, “you’re so wet for me, I can smell it and you’re soaking through your pants, aren’t you. I bet you’re dying for my knot right now.

“Is that it, baby, do you want my knot?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Taylor whines, his hands fumbling with his waistband, trying to push his pants down as fast as he can; his need makes him clumsy and if he didn’t know it was impossible, he would swear he was in the middle of a surprise heat.

“Bedroom,” Adam orders, his voice low; he sounds more wolf than human and when he squeezes Taylor’s hips, his nails are sharp enough to cut Taylor open if he wasn’t careful. It makes Taylor shudder and whimper: a submissive, wanting noise that makes Adam snarl and urge Taylor off the couch in a rush. 

They barely make it to the room before Adam’s hands are all over Taylor, stripping his shirt off and kissing him roughly; he fists one of his hands in Taylor’s hair and pulls just enough to bare Taylor’s throat and drags his teeth along Taylor’s jaw and then down Taylor’s throat, scenting him. 

After they tie together and Adam’s nuzzling his neck and running his hand in soothing circles over Taylor’s stomach again, Taylor feels warm and happy, content in a way that he wouldn’t have thought possible at the beginning of the summer.

He purrs for almost an hour, not stopping until he falls asleep.

*

They’re in the living room a few days later when Taylor decides to talk to Adam about the cub; Adam’s rubbing his feet and they’re talking about Christmas break, if they’re going to stay here in Jersey or go back to Canada. It feels so good between them, like they were always meant to be together like this.

“Hey, babe, I was thinking,” Taylor says when there’s a lull in the conversation; Adam looks over at him, but doesn’t stop what he’s doing. He digs this thumbs into the arch of Taylor’s foot and it takes a minute for Taylor to concentrate enough to say, “you know how we’re still throwing around cub names?”

“Yeah,” Adam agrees with a soft smile that makes Taylor feel warm and happy, “Did you think of a new one then?”

Taylor chews on his lip for a few seconds before he finally says, “I want you to pick out the cub’s middle name and I want her to have your last name.”

“Taylor,” Adam manages to get out, his voice thick; his hand is tight around around Taylor’s ankle and when Taylor finally looks at him, his face is tight with emotion.

“I want you to be her other dad,” Taylor goes on, clearing his throat when it comes out rough and low. “If we were mated, or even just together, and this happened, she would still be yours and I want that. I want us to be a family together and there’s not -I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you, Adam, and I think. I think it’s the same for you.”

“Taylor,” Adam repeats before he moves so he can brace himself over Taylor; he cups Taylor’s cheek in his hand and dips his head so he can press a soft kiss to Taylor’s mouth. “Yeah. Yes, I want that, too, baby. 

“It’s always been you,” Adam adds softly and gives him another soft kiss before he moves his hand under Taylor’s shirt to rest on his stomach, Adam’s hand warm against the sensitive skin. “And I already love the cub like she’s mine.”

He smells happier than Taylor’s ever seen before, warm sunshine almost completely overpowering his normal scent and it makes Taylor feel even better, happy and protected and warm and safe and he can’t help the sappy grin on his face or the way he needs to bare his neck for Adam, for _his alpha_. Taylor loves when Adam marks him up, loves that anyone can look and _see_ that he belongs to him, but now it feels even more important that he wear Adam’s mark where everyone can see it. 

Adam understands, the way he always seems to, and he doesn’t hesitate to scrape his teeth down Taylor’s jaw and bite down, sucking a bruise just past Taylor’s jawline, before he bites lower on Taylor’s neck, down where his pulse is starting to kick up; it hurts and Taylor can feel Adam using his canines, breaking the skin to make a deeper bruise. Adam pulls back enough so that he lick at the broken skin, gently cleaning Taylor the same way he would if they were in their wolf-skins.

Taylor relaxes back into the couch, closing his eyes; Adam carefully lowers himself on top of him, so he’s completely blanketed in the feel and smell of his alpha. He starts purring, happy and content, when Adam nuzzles his throat and rubs his cheek against Taylor’s.

He lets Adam move them around until he’s pressed against the cushions and Adam curls around him protectively, his back to the room; they’re too big to stay like this for long, but it’s so good, being together like this, and Taylor purrs even louder when Adam wraps an arm around his waist and rests his hand on the swell of Taylor’s stomach.

*

By the time the season starts, Taylor’s big enough that he has to go get a couple suits altered so they fit him; he wears Adam’s sweats and t-shirts to and from practices, as well as around the house, but he needs something nice for game days.

He puts it off until the week before opening night and even then Adam’s the one that drags him to the tailor’s one afternoon, with three of Taylor’s suits in garment bags in the back seat. 

Adam squeezes Taylor’s thigh when they’re at a red light and laughs when Taylor glares at him. “Come on, baby, it won’t be that bad.”

“Yeah, easy for you to say, you’re not the one who can’t fit into his pants,” Taylor complains, fidgeting when the cub starts moving around and pushing against his bladder. “And now I have to piss again, fuck.”

Adam smiles and glances over at Taylor before he focuses back on traffic and presses the gas when the light turns green. “Do you want to stop? There’s enough time before we’re suppose to be there.”

Taylor starts to shake his head, then winces and presses a hand to his stomach. “Yeah, please. Brat’s determined to make me set a record for pissing in one day.”

Taylor gets out as soon as Adam parks the car, walking as fast as he can through the door of the McDonald’s and down the small hallway to the bathroom. When he comes back outside, Adam’s leaning against the outside of the car, holding a chocolate ice cream cone in one hand and checking his phone with the other; Taylor pauses and looks him over for a minute, still amazed that he got to have Adam this way. He lets himself be sentimental for another few seconds before he shakes the mood off and walks up to the car.

“Hey, Henrique, you better share that ice cream, I’m starving.”

*

No one says anything about him and Adam or the cub, at least not to Taylor’s face; they never officially told the team anything and by the time everyone’s there for pre-season and then the regular season, Adam’s scent is already so intertwined with Taylor’s that neither one of them have to say anything to the team because they can all smell it, more of a declaration than words could ever be.

Davo never asks, either, when they finally start talking again; the closest he ever comes is when he asks Taylor if he needs help with anything, including telling the other dad about the cub. There’s a long minute of silence before Taylor tells him that Adam already knows and Davo lets it go without hesitation. 

He’s a good friend and Taylor’s glad getting traded didn’t mess up their friendship.

*

The season starts off with a win and even if he has to watch from the press box, Taylor’s happy it starts off on a good note and when he goes down to the locker room, everyone is laughing and happy. Even the usual stink of sweat and equipment can’t overpower the scent of Adam laughing and chirping, the way his scent gets even warmer and _brighter_ when he spots Taylor slowly but surely making his way through their teammates to get to him.

He’s not going to be able to play for a few months yet still, but he’s already happier now than he ever was in Edmonton.


End file.
